(Londonderry, New Hampshire) – ECCO confirms that staff player Fred Couples wore its distinctive Casual Cool II GTX golf shoes en route to capturing his maiden Champions Tour victory at The ACE Group Classic, contested this past weekend at The Quarry in Naples, FL.
Displaying the ECCO logo on his headwear, Couples relied on the Casual Cool’s unique combination of street-inspired styling, superior weather resistance, premium comfort and maximum stability. Shooting a final-round 64 to finish at 17-under-par, he topped the star-laden field by a single stroke.
“It feels great,” Couples said. “It was a long week but at the end I knew I was hitting the ball very well and would have a shot. I am very excited that I won and I’ll keep trying to win out here.”
Couples’ victory comes after he finished runner-up at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship while competing in the ECCO Golf Street Premier, a trend-setting hybrid sport-casual shoe designed to be worn both on and off the course. He now stands atop the Champions Tour money list.
“Fred’s really in a groove right now and is bringing a tremendous amount of excitement and attention to the Champions Tour,” says Jesper Thuen, Sponsor and Event Manager, ECCO Golf. “He’s wearing performance-driven, fashion-forward styles like the Golf Street and Casual Cool and is an impressive 38-under-par for his last six rounds.”
In addition to Couples, ECCO golf shoes are worn in competition by scores of international Tour stars, including Aaron Baddeley, Colin Montgomerie, Stuart Appleby, Arjun Atwal, John Bickerton, Bradley Dredge and many others.
Coinciding with the 2010 golf collection, ECCO has engaged in a series of major account and customer service initiatives. These include a supporting partnership of the PGA of America Golf Retirement Plus program, a new ECCO Golf Comfort Tech Van, a web-based retailer training module and the brand’s status as an official member of the Association of Golf Merchandisers.
Guaranteeing a level of quality that cannot be matched by any major footwear manufacturer, each ECCO golf shoe is made using a proprietary, direct-injection process. Touched by more than 225 sets of highly-skilled hands during production, each model is a testament to the brand’s unrivalled attention to detail that helps discerning players look, feel and play their best.
All ECCO golf shoes feature a network of built-in technologies to create the ideal platform for the perfect swing. These include a direct-injected, PU-constructed midsole/outsole that:
• Creates a one-piece shoe construction
• Ensures unrivaled durability, flexibility, lightness and weather resistance
• Provides a superior level of cushioning and comfort that does not break down over time, unlike commonly-used materials such as air, rubber and EVA foam
Optimal performance is further guaranteed by:
• Ultra-soft, high-grade leathers with hydrophobic treatments for superb weather-resistance
• Internal stabilizer to reduce torque and create ideal swing stability
• Double-layer insole with cushion that absorbs heel force to reduce stress on the knees, hips and back
• Internal Air-Circulation System to maintain a fresh, dry and cool foot environment
• Dynamic Energy Return System that provides a trampoline effect during foot-strike and follow-through to reduce fatigue and restore energy with each step
• Green-friendly outsole designs featuring molded traction bars combined with Stinger cleats from Champ and the Q-Lok insert system to provide ideal traction and grip
About ECCO
ECCO is a world leading brand with fashionable comfort quality shoes.
Founded in 1963 by Karl Toosbuy, ECCO is the only major shoe manufacturer to own and manage the entire value chain from cow to consumer. ECCO has more than 15,000 employees, direct subsidiaries in Europe, the Far East and North America, and partners worldwide.
Based on ECCO’s many years of tradition in shoemaking, ECCO delivers uncompromising comfort and design and the products are sold in more than 3,800 shops all over the world. In 2008, ECCO sold over 17.5 million pair of shoes and reached a turnover of DKK 5.4 billion. However, ECCO’s aim has never been to be the biggest — but always to be the best.
ECCO USA is based in Londonderry, New Hampshire. For more information: visit www.eccousa.com, 800.886.3226.
Contact:
David Griffith
Buffalo Communications
703.891.3391
dgriffith@buffalocommunications.com
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